This disclosure relates generally to equipment utilized and operations performed in conjunction with a subterranean well and, in one example described below, more particularly provides an artificial lift pump suitable for pumping fluids with entrained gas and particulates.
Reservoir fluids can sometimes flow to the earth's surface when a well has been completed. However, with some wells, reservoir pressure may be insufficient (at the time of well completion or thereafter) to lift the fluids (in particular, liquids) to the surface. In those circumstances, technology known as “artificial lift” can be employed to bring the fluids to or near the surface (such as, at a land-based wellsite, a subsea production facility or pipeline, a floating rig, etc.).
Various types of artificial lift technology are known to those skilled in the art. In one type of artificial lift, a subsurface pump is operated by reciprocating a string of “sucker” rods deployed in a well. An apparatus (such as, a walking beam-type pump jack or a hydraulic actuator) located at the surface can be used to reciprocate the rod string.
Therefore, it will be readily appreciated that improvements are continually needed in the arts of constructing and operating artificial lift systems. Such improvements may be useful for lifting oil, water, gas condensate or other liquids from wells, and may be particularly useful in situations in which the liquids are produced along with gas and particulates (such as sand, formation fines, proppant etc.).